Read about Butler: Labour Day commentary: Remembering Buzz Butler
Trade unions have refused to invite politicians to the event although it made an exception with two of them - Labour Minister Errol Mc Leod and Government Senator David Abdullah. McLeod is a former leader of the Oilfield Workers Trade Union (OWTU) and Abdullah is the union's general secretary.
However they did not invite Rudranath Indarsingh, minister in the labour ministry, who is a former president general of the All Trinidad General Workers Trade Union.
Vincent Cabrera, President of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers' Union (BIGWU), said the theme of Sunday's celebrations "No Justice for Workers, no Industrial peace."
The labour leader said the main message that labour is sending to those in office is that labour is not getting fair treatment.
Trade Unions are adamant that they won't accept a five per cent wage increase that the government has offered. The Public Services Association (PSA) has accepted that and some other benefits.
That has made the organisation a pariah and its leader, Watson Duke, was not invited to join unionists at Sunday's celebrations.
Cabrera told the Express newspaper, "The entire trade union movement has been galvanised and we are saying quite boldly that the Minister of Finance Mr Winston Dookeran has not offered one shred of evidence that Government can not afford to pay more than five per cent to public servants."
Cabrera said the trade union leaders will ask workers to accept a proposal that the labour leaders will sign on behalf of workers.
"This accord more or less will state the demands of trade unions and point the way forward as to how we would achieve those objectives," he said.
Vincent Cabrera, President of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers' Union (BIGWU), said the theme of Sunday's celebrations "No Justice for Workers, no Industrial peace."
The labour leader said the main message that labour is sending to those in office is that labour is not getting fair treatment.
Trade Unions are adamant that they won't accept a five per cent wage increase that the government has offered. The Public Services Association (PSA) has accepted that and some other benefits.
That has made the organisation a pariah and its leader, Watson Duke, was not invited to join unionists at Sunday's celebrations.
Cabrera told the Express newspaper, "The entire trade union movement has been galvanised and we are saying quite boldly that the Minister of Finance Mr Winston Dookeran has not offered one shred of evidence that Government can not afford to pay more than five per cent to public servants."
Cabrera said the trade union leaders will ask workers to accept a proposal that the labour leaders will sign on behalf of workers.
"This accord more or less will state the demands of trade unions and point the way forward as to how we would achieve those objectives," he said.
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